1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding device and a harness wiring structure using the feeding device, especially, the feeding device winding-up and receiving a wire harness in a case, and leading out the wire harness in moving direction of a movable structure such as a roof of an automobile vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 5 and 6 show one embodiment of a conventional feeding device and a harness wiring structure using the same (For example, refer to FIGS. 1 to 4 of Japanese Patent Published Application No. 2002-112445).
The feeding device 61 is a winding-harness type and includes a case 62 formed of a synthetic resin, a drum 63 arranged rotatably in the case, and a spiral spring 64 rotating the drum 63 in one rotational direction. The case 62 is constructed of a circular body 65 and a slightly curved rectangular guide tube 66 projecting from the body 65.
The drum 63 and the spiral spring 64 are received in the body, where the drum 63 is supported rotatably by a spindle 67. The wire harness 68 is wound around the outer circumference of the drum 63, and one end 68a of the wire harness 68 is led out through the guide tube 66.
The other end 68b of the wire harness 68, which is an extra length portion of the wire harness, is wound and received in the body. A harness portion 68c, which continues to the extra length portion of the harness, is led out from the body 65 and is connected to a power source (battery). The extra length portion of the harness 68b is for allowing the rotation of the drum 63.
The guide tube 66 is projected long enough to determine the guiding direction to one direction. The case 62 is constructed of a case main body 62a and a cover 62b. While opening the cover 62b, the wire harness 68 is placed in the case 62, and then by closing the cover 62b, the wire harness 68 is fitted to the case main body 62a. The wire harness 68 includes a plurality of insulating-coated electric wires. The plurality of the electric wires 68 is bundled by coarsely winding with a tape or covering with a flexible protective tube.
A connector 69 is provided at the end of the wire harness 68, and the connector 69 is fixed for example to a movable structure on a feeding side, such as a rotatable door (not shown), and connected to a wire harness on another side (not shown) by the connector. When the door opens, the wire harness 68 is pulled-out from the case 62 (the drum 63 rotates against the force of the spring 64 and the wire harness 68 is unwound from the drum 63), and when the door closes, the wire harness 68 is wound-up back into the case by the force of the spring.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show, for reference, one embodiment of a conventional opening/closing structure of a storable roof of a vehicle as one example of the movable structure (refer to FIGS. 1 to 5 of Japan Patent Publication No. 2000-108674).
The opening/closing structure of the roof described above includes: a pair of front and back rotating links 52 and 53 attached rotatably to a vehicle body 51; an intermediary upper fixing link 55 attached to the front rotating link 52; a front upper fixing link 54 attached to the back rotating link 53; and a soft-top roof 56 fixed to the link 54.
The roof 56 is in a completely closed condition (not shown), and the front upper fixing link 54 and the intermediary upper fixing link 55 are aligned in a horizontal straight line, and the pair of front and back rotating links 52 and 53 are positioned substantially in an upright position. Starting from this condition, the rotating links 52 and 53 rotate backward and each of the fixing links 54 and 55 overlaps unevenly, as shown in FIG. 7 where the roof is half opening, and then each of the rotating links 52 and 53 falls substantially in horizontal position and then each of the fixing links 54 and 55 is folded and positioned over the rotating links 52 and 53, as shown in FIG. 7B where the roof 56 is received (opening condition). The roof 56 is received in a rear luggage space 57 of the vehicle body 51.